Never Again
by fishpleasure
Summary: Tsuna's Guardians and tutor have a suspicion which is not unfounded regarding the miracles he brings about. So the day where their fate changes, they prepared for something big. But sometimes you just can't prepare for stuff thrown at you and just have to accept it. But the bigger question is, can they accept it? Tsuna not as mafia boss AU
1. A foreboding

Khr ain't mine

A new story …when I've got others to update seems a bit unsettling for me, but anyway let's write a new one… because it seemed interesting for me.

Warning : sporadic updates(concept's a bit difficult for me)

Leaving the author's worries aside, opinions and criticism are welcome! Bring it on!

Hope you enjoy the story (LOL, it's another AU)

* * *

 **CHAPTER ONE**

 **CHEATING BRINGS BACK BAD KARMA**

There were two people in a room drinking tea. It was a traditional Japanese room. One of them invested on that feel, going as far as installing a bamboo fountain. Naturally, he was sitting in a seiza(kneeled down position) while his guest didn't seem very accommodating. Well, they weren't the best of friends after all

The world's best hitman sat across a rather queer man who wore a mask when he faced the people of the world, but mostly stayed holed up inside his house stalking *ahem* observing people.

Undaunted by the glare sent to him by a man with an unnerving job and an even more scary demeanor, the man jovially asked him

"So Reborn, tea or coffee?"

"'S not like you plan on giving me that option seeing the traditional tea pot set in front of me"

"Oh? So you figured me out. I've been learning the traditional tea ceremony since I've recently attained a lot of free time"

"Looks like my pupil did a favor for you"

"I get it, I get it. I'll repay it when the time comes. Or would it be 'Not meddle in you guys' business?'. But really, being a bit more direct would be more desirable~

Though I doubt you'd ever change"

"Living for a long time does that to you. You'd know best-"

"Well, all that time wasted on getting more guys to take up the pacifiers can be used for something better! Thank goodness that baggage is off my back"

The fedora wearing man had to stop every urge to stand up and riddle him in bullets, all the better if he turns into living Swiss cheese

'He's got some nerve saying that when he's the one responsible for turning me into a gun totting zombie baby'

" **Kawahira**. Why did you call me here? Last time I checked, we weren't bosom buddies"

'And I will shoot him if he says so'

The white haired man didn't even spare a glance to the dangerous glint in the hitman's eyes and looked serious for the first time since they'd sat in the room

With the cherry blossoms fluttering in the room along with a sweet scent wafting throughout the room, Reborn had gotten slightly off track thinking how on earth did the man keep a cherry blossom tree at summer(in full bloom)

"I'm very grateful for Tsunayoshi-kun for finding that alternative to keeping the pacifiers safe, don't get me wrong"

From the corner of his eyes, he'd seen the hitman load his gun. He continued

"So hasty! I wonder what would happen if I actually invited you for tea? Can't you leave bygones for bygones? Everything's finished now!"

He faced him properly, ignoring the suppressed frustration in his companion's eyes

"Yes… Everything's finished…

And it brings me unease

I wonder what will happen to you now?"

"If you're worrying about my pupil, you should know by now that they're very capable. Nothing that **you** should be worrying about"

"You should have thought about it at least, right? Didn't everything work out **too** fine?

It seems right that the boy might as well be Primo's reincarnate, seeing his endeavors from Gokudera's recruitment 'til fighting for the rule of Vongola from Xanxus"

"I see that you were stalking my pupil for a long time"

"I've seen him from when he was a child. He had a lot of promise. But leaving that aside

Your pupil …didn't he do too much?"

"…Elaborate"

"You've taught him too well. So well that he tried to change the past by bringing a younger version of himself in a dystopian future

He and his family were to die, outsmarted by Byakuran Gesso. You and the Arcobaleno had disappeared due to the anti-trinisette rays spread around by the lad

Then, when he got what was coming to him- He did try centralizing power from the Mafia to himself, effectively ruling the world **and** he was half way there when they were sent there

The Tsunayoshi who was sent into the past was given all the powers the 21 year old version of himself was to have. Then he got even more powerful and learned a lot of things he probably didn't in his future

Powers after the battles with Enma Cozato, the **Vendice** and finally, me. Well kinda…"

"You know a lot about this"

"I like to keep my targets close"

Then there was a click of a gun and Kawahira continued, despite the underlying death threat

"Reborn, I know I'm an old man. But this old man has lived for a long time. A time long enough to not understand the pain others get. But in exchange for that I've gained a lot of experience or you could say, intuition

Well, it's more accurately a foreboding"

"We have Mammon for that. And one of them is more than enough"

"You forget that Byakuran tried to change future, futures even and ended up getting his efforts nullified

What would happen to Tsunayoshi-kun? There's no one in the future who can stop him. Frankly put, he has gone too far. He's surpassed Primo and he was one of the most powerful humans I've known.

His famiglia and those friends of his would stop him if he went about causing destruction and havoc. I'd consider all the people he'd met as one. I know it when I look at it. They're just a bit strange. I doubt most of them would even acknowledge it. I think you can consider them as friends…

But leaving ambiguous relationships aside…"

"You're beating around the bush. Can't you even bring yourself to say it? To think this is the guy we've been searching for. You've gotten soft… or is it that you've gotten soft around my student?"

"Like you haven't"

"Hmph"

Reborn tipped his hat in acknowledgement and turned around thinking that the conversation was about something trivial

"I'm not saying that things will go worse, but"

"I know. I'm being careful. I didn't need to be told about this from you"

"It's tomorrow. His 21st birthday. You know what that would signify? It's a day of fate. It's going throw surprises at you"

He only heard the click of the door

"You might not even need preparations.

You might need to just accept the judgement brought upon you"

"…"

"Now then, let's call Byakuran"

* * *

 _Outside Namimori_

A silent Reborn waded through the crowd, eyes clouded in deep thought. He moved to an unassuming wall and tapped at it, breaking the ground below him and sent him tunneling to a private location

There was a jet there. Taking a good look at it, his eyes burned with conviction to face the next day with his entire strength

 _Meanwhile, in the Vongola Mansion_

Gokudera Hayato had similar thoughts. His appearance reflected in the mirror looked like the defeated man he had to see in the future. When he gritted his teeth in annoyance, the cigarette butt fell on the ground and he immediately crushed it with his foot

Regardless of how much he matured, his hasty side remained in traces. It worried him that it was tomorrow- the day that the Tenth, Sawada Tsunayoshi would become 21

He hadn't been 21 in the 'past'. His journal which recorded their past activities told him so very clearly. Several files and photo albums lay scattered around his bed. They proved his experiences and memories

He'd been riddled with bullets and stuck in a coffin surrounded by flowers!

The 'past' had been overridden right? Would tomorrow be considered as the 'past'?

Suddenly he wished they could have made the time machine this time too. Isn't it fine to repeat everything as long as everyone remembered everything? What if everything was lost tomorrow?

He wished Reborn was here instead of visiting someone somewhere in the world right now. The man had become the Vongola's advisor (in the loosest term) straightening everyone out

He could use some straightening out right now.

'What will be in store for us tomorrow? Can we do anything about it?'

"Shit! I can't just stand around doing nothing!"

And he marched out of his room slamming the door behind him

* * *

Going through the long corridors of the Vongola mansion, doubts piled upon each other. He clicked his tongue thinking of doing something he rarely ever did- consult with someone, that too with someone he thought he would rather die than ask

'Out of the hundreds of rooms built here, only that guy will think of tearing up a place completely and remodeling it to a Japanese room. We're in Italy!'

He looked at the entrance of another corridor whose floors were replaced by tatami. Removing his shoes, he grumbled

"Can you even call this as remodeling?! This is too much"

Walking through the corridors in socks, he smelled cherry blossoms

"Even though he went on a rampage every time he saw cherry blossoms in the past"

There were Japanese bamboo gates right in front of him. He knocked and opened the sliding doors. There was a black haired man who left a sideways glance at him seemingly wanting to focus at the sakura trees in front of him. He wore a purple yukata but had an intimidating presence

"Hibari. I have something to ask you"

Getting no response from the other he continued, a bit irritated

"I'll leave you in peace once you answer my questions. There's nothing more than what I would want. How did you know that Tsuna would come back at that time?"

It was a vague question, but he was sure that the ex-prefect would understand what he meant

"He won't die. That's what makes him interesting"

The answer didn't satisfy him. It was baseless confidence. It felt like what happened in the past could have gone very wrong and they were just lucky. It felt like the wheels were smoothly turning when they were sent to the future. And that was done on impromptu? That's nonsense

And it felt like the prefect saw through his nervousness, since he was, frustratingly the guardian who was most involved in the tenth's problem

"That's it? It can't have been done so easily. Wasn't there a lot of planning? Tsuna would have told you about the details of the plan. And when I look back on it, it was ingenious as it was suicidal on his part.

Setting up a base, air-driving motorbikes, health facilities, underground bases and back-ups, a time machine, destroying the rings if the plan fails, leaving guardians out of the plan so that they could motivate us and teach us, the collaboration with Irie Shoichi and his past self, the linking with the 10 year bazooka…

That's right ,I should ask the tenth if he knows anything about this ,or did he plan anything about this. Wait are you involved in his plan again?!"

He said angrily, making assumptions as his thoughts spiraled out of control. Still calm, Hibari said

"The baby went to see Kawahira"

"Huh? Why?...

Wait, why didn't he tell us?! Does that bastard know anything about this?! It was probably an invitation right?! Reborn wouldn't go there on his own!

As I thought, I must tell the Tenth…

Wait, now that I think about it… Why are you and that pineapple here? Don't you usually skip Tsuna's birthday?"

Hibari scowled when silver haired male spoke about the illutionist. Just then, Kusakabe Tetsuya, the secretary of the ex-prefect entered and said

"Isn't it obvious why we're here. I can't speak for that illutionist, but we're here to observe what will happen tomorrow. We have to be on top of information"

"If there's mayhem, we have to prepare for another war"

The prefect said sending a sharp bloodthirsty grin at the right hand man of the Decimo

"Oh, by the way, I don't think you should tell anything to Tsunayoshi-san. If he doesn't know it might be better. He was the catalyst for the change of the future after all.

If he knows… well that's fine on its own, right"

"I know. I'll have to tell the guardians to be on their strongest guard tomorrow" he said conviction lining his eyes

"Or you'll turn into those **spineless herbivores** you were when your boss pulls off **another** suicide trick"

He glared at the prefect hoping he could burn holes through his brain. Gritting his teeth through the grim possibility, he couldn't bring himself to refute the very high possibility claim he'd been avoiding thinking about. The prefect was still facing the cherry blossoms

"I have to tell the others. I'm leaving"

He turned around and moved towards the sliding door. He heard Kusakabe saying "I think the others would have known" before he shut the door behind him muttering "That lawn-mow-head and that idiot cow wouldn't have. They probably forgot about the day that incident took place"

Kusakabe excused himself to finish further preparations leaving the prefect alone in the room.

* * *

Suddenly the poker face of the prefect cracked leaving a completely foul mooded man with the vile temper he was so infamous about in his past

" **When are you planning to leave?** "

"When there are no more guests waiting for your company. My, my. Aren't you popular, Kyoya-kun? Getting a visit from that attached to the hip right hand man of that Tsunayoshi-kun"

A mist appeared seemingly out of nowhere and a purple haired man appeared

"Aren't you going to greet me? Or is it that you're trying to face those flowers, so that I don't have to princess carry you when you charge at me?"

The prefect stood up from his place, his mood dripping lower as he brought out his weapon and threw it straight at the man

"You won't even be a good challenge after being **drowned like a rat**. You used to battle from that girl's body right? That body which had half the organs missing would have been better

 **At least you would have an excuse to run away from me** "

Heterochromic eyes glowed dangerously at the threat, not amused at all

"I'll ask you again. **Why are you here**?"

"I followed that puppy since he was travelling an unusual path. I never thought he would visit you so I stuck around. I didn't know he would be thinking about that"

The glare which was sent his was told him to stop beating about the bush. He returned the glare, annoyed at the lack of patience from the prefect. It was as if he never changed. He was always so petty, keeping grudges from a long time ago. It added to parts which made so irritating

"It's just a pain to find another body to possess, now that I've paused my plan for more than ten years for that man.

It's a bit upsetting to think if it could end tomorrow. And Tsunayoshi-kun is such an amusing toy to boot. I wanted some tips from you, since you were directly involved in the plan last time. I could always hack your brain if something happened-"

Cloud flames manifested in the mist flames replicating the thrown tonfa, as the prefect reached a tipping point boiling with range. It would have made the mist user's body explode from inside out as the other used the mist flame as easily and frequently as breathing

The prefect's frown twitched as he saw that it wasn't pineapple-head who got sloshed, but the man he was possessing. The real body appeared and he continued speaking as if nothing happened

"You learned some nasty tricks

So anyway, the answer? Or is it a double suicide?"

They were at deadlock, the mist user infused some of his own flames near the prefect's head as he attacked the decoy

"I hope you won't select the latter seeing that both you and I aren't interested in doing a lover's suicide. It's old and disgusting" he said scowling at the very idea

The prefect glared long and hard at the other and finally replied

"We've used a case on a party affected by the 10-year bazooka- the small herbivore's baby form who accidently saved the life of a mafia boss during a mission, he couldn't have done it without changing.

The family lives today, but we don't know if they live because their change doesn't matter or if it doesn't matter in the entire run. We think what we've done shouldn't matter"

Mukuro seemed a bit grim as he pieced things together

"What would you do if you're no longer inside the mafia?"

"I've never been associated with the mafia in the first place. I just bite misbehaving herbivores to death"

Then Hibari was left alone, as the mist user disappeared, deep in his own thought as he left disturbing parting words

"Maybe I should just possess Tsunayoshi-kun and get it done with, seeing as it might be my final chance"

The irritated prefect was in a dark mood as he redirected the tonfa launched at a wall with the attached chains at the entering Kusakabe, who understood that someone(Mukuro) had angered him

So, being the good right man he was, he left the prefect in peace so that he doesn't go reaping people's souls

* * *

Gokudera's fast pace was intended to stop people from asking questions, but there was always that one person who didn't know how to read moods

"Gokudera, is something going to happen tomorrow?" Yamamoto asked, tapping at his shoulder and uncharacteristically serious

'The baseball idiot normally acts like a complete fool, but properly gets the heart of the matter. Not to mention, he's completely stubborn on getting to know the answers' the silver haired man thought annoyed as he faced the black-haired man

"We don't know"

"That Mukuro and Hibari-san don't know either?! That's shocking"

Gokudera's eyebrows twitched as he found out that Yamamoto figured out the reason why their two most enigmatic guardians even bothered to show up for their boss' birthday

'Even though it should be completely normal to celebrate your boss' birthday!'

"That's not surprising. We're trying to gather information to prepare for tomorrow, but most probably, even Reborn-san won't have a clue on what'll happen"

Gokudera was in deep contemplation as he pondered on what actions he could possibly take. His thought process was interrupted by a large whack on his shoulder. He threw his glare at the baseball-lover who merely grinned at him and said

"Well, don't be so serious! If it really went that bad, we can always just redo everything. We'll things through together and face trials like we've always done- like family! We can face anything that's thrown at us"

His glare reduced, but was still there

"Now, let's go prepare for Tsuna's birthday. He's alive this time after all! Isn't that great?"

"Idiot. It's obviously an amazing thing"

Tsunayoshi was being paraded around by Lambo who was making sure that he didn't visit any rooms which would give away the surprise without being suspicious. So far, he'd been doing great as they were basically running away from women in Namimori which was an unfortunate result of trying to act grown up. Being in a Mafia group makes people seem wild, dangerous and mature. It also makes people great actors. So adding those two elements, Lambo became a heart-throb as in his pride and effort to make himself recognized by Tsuna and the older guardians as being mature enough to handle missions without needing baby sitters (he mainly had to convince Tsuna, who coddled him)

That lead him to being some handsome boy who attracted women like flies and acted like an cliché playboy. It baffled Tsuna that day, since he was dragged into that storm by Lambo who decided to improvise just to get him to play around (at the price of having a permanent baby sitter, since to fool someone with great intuition, you need a real-life situation)

He muttered all the way that people owed him for a favor that showed his big brother all the hopeless sides of him and probably a higher level of coddling. He'd always wanted to shout out at him that he wasn't that childish, whining brat anymore, he was a Vongola guardian! This was going to do nothing to help him on that one

"Lambo! I'll give you some candy, so go on a date with me!"

"Lambo! You're dating me not that wench Susanne, right?!"

"Lambo! I got a stuffed cow so that you can be with me all the time! Accept my teddy so that I can be yours all the time!"

"Lambo! Let's visit that pastry shop you said you liked next time!"

"Lambo! Give me your hair ,so that I can add it my altar!"

"Lambo! *Haa Haa* You'll look very pretty in this beautiful frock! Come and try it out at my home *Haa Haa*"

And these guys weren't helping any one out. Tsuna looked baffled at Lambo as he said

"Lambo! What on earth have you been doing?! I can't believe half the sentences I'm hearing from them! I thought you knew not to follow any one around for candy and sweets-"

"Tsuna-nii! I'm old enough to know that! I don't follow strangers around. They're friends-"

Looking at the shocked-skeptic look Tsuna gave him, he knew he made his situation worse

"I mean they're people who I've met somewhat recently in an arcade club I've been going. For those pastries and sweets, it's all Kyoko's and Haru's fault. They gave me a sweet tooth!"

Tsuna didn't know what to be shocked at- at how easily he got strange people attached to him (was it his influence?!) or at how childish his excuses were

'Am I spoiling him too much?' he thought looking back at the crowd chasing him

When Lambo thought that enough time passed and that it was reaching night time, he easily evaded them by bringing disguise costumes from his hair bewildering Tsuna

'Why couldn't he have done that sooner'

Thus he left a thoroughly exhausted Tsuna back to the mansion and kept the mansion's secret. Silently congratulating himself, he left the tired boss who wanted nothing but sleep

In his exhaustion, he failed to notice a dark shadow lurking nearby

The clock ticked 23:50 and a man with long purple hair tied in a ponytail approached the brunette who was snoring peacefully. Heterochromatic eyes gleamed at him with a slight tint of sadness and frustration, but remained mostly expressionless

His trident's tip was aimed at the brunette's neck. The room was completely dark, save for the glint of the weapon

"If I have to wait for an uncertain tomorrow, I'd rather possess you to live for a tomorrow with a broken you. You'd be boring though…

I guess that doesn't really matter right now"

Another mist user appeared and applied a subtler skill, shrouding the mansion with a deep sleep so that they wouldn't interfere

"…Nagi, you don't have to do that. I'm more surprised that you didn't try to stop me"

He said and his eyes revealed uncertainity to the partner he opened up to

"Mukuro-sama made his decision after thinking through it completely, so I'd definitely support you. Besides I also don't want Bossu to disappear"

"Kufufu I don't have that kind of attachment to the Vongola

I just thought it would be easier to possess a man who'd have the Mafia under his thumb. He'd almost finished so I wondered what kind of changes would he bring next

It was simple curiousity"

She merely nodded to his explanation and the other concentrated on his trident

Then the clock ticked 00:00 and time freezed

* * *

Mukuro stood aiming his trident in a final thrust to the Vongola boss's neck, his face twisted in irritated anger. Near him, Chrome stood in grief.

Kusakabe Tetsuya was in a sleep induced state near the window. He was sent to stop any funny business attempted by Mukuro

In the chambers of the guardians

Gokudera Hayato sat on his bed which had files scattered around. The man was looking at the clock with a tense look

Yamamoto Takeshi sat in a ready position with his sword held at one hand as he willed himself to face the fateful day

Bovino Lambo was sleeping peacefully in his room and one of his hands were gripping on a present he was planning on giving his big brother that day

Hibari Kyoya was staring at the cherry blossoms in his room, his eyes narrowed at the pulse of the subtle mist flames generated

Sasagawa Ryohei was on a plane with his younger sister, Sasagawa Kyoko. They were both asleep after chattering about the party the Vongola had prepared for the birthday party

Reborn was flying his jet plane in the fastest speed to reach the Vongola mansion in the shortest time possible. He had a tense expression as his eyes were shadowed by his fedora

Then the dimension cracked like the universes were rejecting it and blacked out

The time when the guardians (including Reborn) 'woke up' they looked at their surroundings, seeing that it was completely different from their last memories, they (excluding Lambo and Ryohei) sighed exhaustedly (Hibari and Mukuro(Huh? Strange combo) just looked annoyed) and said

"So it really happened"


	2. Tsuna's questionable existence

Khr ain't mine

Thanks for the reviews, favorites and follows

Criticisms and opinions are very welcome (It helps me write better stories or gives me ideas, so yeah, go ahead gimme your best shot). If the pace is too fast, feel free to point out where things get confusing

Summary until now: The guardians(Reborn and the four of the six guardians) of Tsuna feel that the future arc might have an overwhelming effect on the day of Tsuna's 21st birthday ,the day when 'he' or the younger Tsuna is sent to the future to change the 'future'. What they feared came true, with them being transported to the past? (Is this fine for the more confused of readers? If it's helpful, I'll put em after a new chapter)

Enough of the words from the author's mouth. Onwards with the story

Hope you enjoy the story

* * *

 **CHAPTER 2**

 **IN MY MIND THERE WAS A KID CALLED TSUNA**

 _In Namimori_

There was a loud thud from a certain someone's house

"OWW! That hurt! Who hit me?!"

A rather clueless boxer sat up after being hit because of getting up too fast when he regained consciousness. He looked around for the mysterious opponent (a table). Then he got up and felt like he was losing balance for the first time in a long time

"Huh? Was everything this small before…?"

He looked around again and again trying to fit the puzzle together (the table escaped this time) feeling that everything was … off by a head or two's height

His eyes bugged out when he realized an important detail. A smile started blooming in his face as excitement bubbled up

"This is EXTREME!

Kyoko! See this!"

And becoming hyper, he ran across the stairs to his sister's room and barged into the room, slamming the door making the hinges vibrate and some of the wall's paint broke onto the floor

The loud thud woke up his sister who disoriented and dizzily analyzed her surroundings and looked at the person who woke her up. Disbelieving what she saw, she rubbed her eyes.

There stood Sasagawa Ryohei completely different from what she remembered recently. In fact, it felt like she was seeing a dream filled with memories. Startled, she looked at her hands which looked fairly babyish and reached a strange conclusion. She looked around and the scenery outside the window, which seemed to support her conclusion. Shaking her head, she pinched herself thinking it's all a dream

Thankfully, her brother looked clueless at her strange actions and stopped to see what would happen. Seeing her brother quiet (observing curiously), she felt like this was more and more of a dream, but the truth was staring at her right at her face and she realized she couldn't ignore things just like that. So she pointed her finger at him and shouted

"Onii-chan, you've shrunk"

"Huh? So that's why everything feels bigger. You're in the same boat as me then. We've both shrunk. How EXTREME is that?" he laughed joyously as his sister stopped the urge to face-palm

'How can he notice those things and still not figure things? I've grown out of my baby fat, onii-chan!'

She threw a straight ball, knowing that any hints regarding their situation would never reach him

"Onii-chan, we've gone back to the past"

"That's EXTREME!" His eyes sparkled in amazement as he ran around the house confirming that it was indeed how their parents' house looked like 10 years 'ago'

Kyoko herself felt a little giddy with excitement of seeing a younger Hana, a youthful Namimori and from the nostalgia of her youth along with the adventures wrapped in those memories (Leaving her disbelief seeing how easily her brother accepted the situation. It was a temporary suspense of disbelief)

'Namimori middle school, huh? It brings back so many memories.

Tsu-kun would be trying to hide that he's being tutored by Reborn-chan to become a Mafia boss. But he became a Vigelante… So, he was telling the truth?'

Her eyes moved throughout the house remembering the memories built up in there. She remembered the places her child self would run around playing games , where specific games would be played at certain locations than others

She looked around lost in their childhood games like hide and seek or tag as she remembered the adventure Tsuna and company engaged in (courtesy of Tsuna as she had made him promise not to hide things away from him) and the parfait stores she visited with Haru, Bianchi, Yuni and Chrome (sometimes Lambo would come along (brought along(Haru™)))

She chanced upon a mirror when wandering around the house

'Isn't it my Namimori middle school uniform. It looks as cute as I thought. No wonder, I chose this school…

.

.

.

'

She turned her head towards the clock in a hurry, panicking

The clock struck 9:00 making a gong

She looked at the mirror showing her younger self wearing her old uniform and felt the weight on her back for the first time

'Is being around with Onii-chan making me buff…?'

Letting that stray thought pass, she touched a strap on one shoulder and the other on her other shoulder and traced it back to a … bag and paled significantly

'Leaving memories from the future, aren't I a young girl getting ready for going to-'

"Kyoko!" her brother ran down in a hurry (his usual pace) and surprisingly… tripped

"Onii-chan, you should move a bit slower. Your excitement is making you clumsy.

Fufufu, it reminds me Tsu-kun before" she said looking at her brother bruised here and there. It seemed like he tripped a lot of times

"Sorry, sorry. It's just that it feels like my each step doesn't reach as far as I'm used to moving.

Kyoko… There's no need to look like that. I'm fine"

"… Ok, fine. But be careful, Onii-chan"

"I get it, I get it"

* * *

The bell started ringing constantly as soon as Ryohei finished trying to assure his baby sister that he'd be more careful

"I'm EXTREMELY coming" and he slammed the door open, and his would be guest would have his head flying, if not for his extreme reflexes.

On the outside, was a very familiar smiling face. He waved at them (Kyoko had also come to the door, curious about their visitor)

"Hi senpai! It's been a long time? Does that work if we met 10 years after? Oh, well

It's been 10 years since we've last met, Ahahaha"

Ryohei, who had his mind occupied by the very same thing which sent him tumbling down reached for the jock's arm and pulled it towards him

"Onii-chan?"

"…You don't have the ring too?" and made the rain guardian look at his hand alarmed for a second. He calmed down seconds later after remembering some things

"Onii-chan! We've gone to the past, remember? There's no way you're supposed to have them"

"Oh! That's right! It's always there, so I panicked when I saw that it wasn't there"

"Ahaha, even I got shocked when I saw the ring wasn't there. We've stayed with Tsuna for a long time, huh?"

"AHAHAHA! That's right! It's been a long EXTREME adventure. So where's-"

"I've asked around town, but no one has a clue of anything that happened in the 10 years. I wasn't even sure that you guys would remember"

"So that means all of those guys remember! That's EXTREME"

Kyoko stared at Yamamoto wondering about the sudden cut from her brother's conversation. It almost seemed like he was avoiding …something… Na, that can't be it. Even though the new conversation made the boxer distracted from his original thought process

"So those guys are at Namimori?"

"Well… I don't know. You were the first one I tried, senpai" he said smiling apologetically

"Octopus-head would be here on the fastest jet… so it would be around today evening. That's for sure! I don't know about Pineapple-head. Chrome would come with that guy. Hibari and Tsuna are here

Lambo would come with or after Reborn, 'cos it feels like it will.

I don't know when Reborn would come"

"I think Reborn-chan comes after a week now. My and Tsu-kun's first meeting surprised me!"

Yes … having a boy confess to you in his underwear only would be rather memorable

"It's like a get together. Ahahaha, I think Hibari-san would beat us up for crowding instead"

When Ryohei took a step forward, he lost his balance and fell forward, but didn't crash to the ground as Yamamoto caught him

"Senpai, your previous balance is gone because of your new height"

"AAH! **That's** why it never fit together.

Why're you calling me 'Senpai' anyway?"

"Isn't it fine? We've gone to the past after all. It's kind of fun!"

* * *

The two suddenly became serious as hands touched their arm as they readied to retaliate. When they turned around, they faced two people with Elvis hairdos and gakurans

'Hibari' was the thought that popped up in their mind along with the revelation on what they **should** have been doing (Ryohei's as clueless as before)

"So you guys are the ones playing truant. You've got some nerve loitering around in Hibari's property"

Hibari's property, by definition stretched out to every inch and corner of Namimori, and no, I'm not excluding the air that surrounds it (And if you value your freedom you will not mention that air as wind moves around the earth touching its surface and insides to Hibari)

And their bad luck piled up. As lo and behold- the real life Hibari wandered there in search of more people to make dead bodies (to make shrunken heads of?) of *ahem* to discipline

"H-Hibari-san?! I've found the remaining three truancies of the total four today. I'll go investigate the other areas for troublemakers" and gave a salute and left the area in search of the future Overlord's victims

Leaving the two guardians reunite with the third out of the total seven. Well, it wasn't anything that touching… since Ryohei blurted out something rather crucial after noticing it

'Really, why can he notice some things but leave everything else out?' thought the exasperated sister as she remembered the sentence he blurted out leaving them surprised at the question posed

"Four? Don't you mean five? Tsuna would have gotten his memories today and got surprised or panicked. He gets late before and his new stature would make him trip over everything"

His two companions were surprised at the question, but were busy at the moment. They were trying to convince Hibari to **not knock them unconscious** to haul them over to Namimori. The Hibari who was brandishing his tonfas at the two very noisy prey replied

"There is _no_ Sawada Tsunayoshi attending Namimori middle school" and promptly knocked them out to easily carry them to the school (making them portable)

When they came to consciousness, they could see the orange of dusk across the window in the disciplinary room where the infamous demon prefect resided. Said prefect was reading through agreement papers and signing them.

He spared a condescending glance towards the now conscious trio.

Immediately riling up, Ryohei shouted at him

"A low neck hit at the back is unfair play Hibari! Let's fight fairly!"

His sister had other worries

"Hibari-san, what do you mean that Tsu-kun doesn't go to Namimori"

On hearing only her brother's attempts at getting Hibari riled up, she realized that Hibari had no intentions to repeat his sentences. So, she tried another attempt to find out information

"Does a fourteen-year-old boy of the name Sawada Tsunayoshi exist in Namimori?"

Planning on starting the information gathering from the broadest range, she had the next question on the tip of her tongue fully expecting a yes

"No" and the cloud guardian looked at his clock and glared at them to go out of the school, signaling them that their detention was over and that he was planning on going out for a patrol

The prompt answer left her shocked. And her companions realized that they wouldn't be getting out of the situation unhurt if they didn't leave from there pronto… so they pushed the frozen girl out of the door and out of the school

Oddly, Yamamoto remained completely silent throughout these conversations

* * *

When the trio were walking silently through the streets with Ryohei looking at his sister worryingly wondering what he could say to soothe her while being conflicted by the new information as well and Kyoko thinking ways to refute the claims of the person obsessive about the town and knew **everything** about it, a voice interrupted them from their thoughts

"Hibari-san is right you know" and moved ahead prompting the other two to follow him ,curious to know what he meant

"I could tell you, but it would be more realistic to see it for yourself" and added in a small voice "and it would be better if it changed when I look at it again"

And brought them to an empty lot. But it was more than enough to discern the truth for the trio

What was in that empty space that shocked them, you say? It was what should have been there. Through their fun old memories, was the presence of a huge house with multiple rooms which might as well be a base. It had the meetings of many people and made many people friends and forged strong bonds

It **was** the…

Sawada Household

Ryohei rushed forward, believing that the house was just invisible and passed through what he thought would make him slam on to a wall and getting a surprised Tsuna to open the door who'd then look at them and smile an exasperated smile, inviting them for a snack with the smiling Nana Sawada welcoming them asking them why they looked so young. Then they would explain why no one could see the house and how Hibari completely mistook him as not existing at all

But the dirt under his feet as he completely passed through the house was the reality of things

Kyoko looked completely distressed as she sneaked a peek at Yamamoto hoping that it was a prank or there was a trick to it. But, on seeing the somber face of the baseball lover, she realized how serious the matter was

* * *

 _In Italy_

Reborn woke up to see a yellow glow he thought he'd never see again and cursed loudly. He then got up to tall ceilings he thought he'd be completely free of and got up resolving himself to fix things now that it was done once already

He got up in a posh room which he pin pointed the particular time he was in and which event was currently going on. The event he was currently supposed to be attending involved the meeting with the boss before the meeting with Tsuna. It was the day Timoteo came to the fateful decision he was sent to do- tutor Tsuna to be boss. He prided himself in remembering crucial details or the hints of crucial decisions. He also inspected the items in the room carefully to confirm his deductions

It was a guest room of Vongola's ,meaning he was invited for something big or was meant to be a part of a big decision. It was more so, since he was a hot shot in the Mafia world. Since he often gave advice to the Vongola Nono being a friend of his, this could be regarding the new successor of Vongola. It could be further examined after checking his phone, files, folders(the important ones were at one of his houses since he didn't want people to peak into sensitive data) and newspapers (he had a habit of reading them in his free time to gain information on the public psyche. His information gathering ability was better than those of the media anyway)

His student wouldn't have intensive training if seeing how he got all of his memories, there was a chance that he received all of his, making it easier to re-train the boy OR else he'd just have to beat those techniques into him. Either way, it was fun, so it didn't matter much to him. All he had to do was prevent another Tsuna sending his younger version to 10 years in the future now that the consequences were known

He moved confidently to the Vongola don's room hearing and piecing information from the bystanders. When he entered and tipped his hat as a greeting, he saw a distressed man, not the confident man he remembered when it happened before

Instantly, he became careful after seeing the inconsistences in the scenes

"Reborn… you know that I had to freeze my son for the power he was seeking.

Xanxus was power crazy…

And it was a failure on my part as a father"

Nono was rambling… which was rare

"He killed all my sons and the famiglia can't find a replacement for the next head"

It alarmed him

"Isn't there anyone with the same blood. Not to yours, but to one of the previous Vongola?"

"We've checked around the Mafia. There was no one closer that…

 **Xanxus**

The boy is my precious son, but I fear that the Vongola will reach another era of blood shed under his rule…"

Reborn's eyes shadowed at growing possibilities

"Have you seen if there are any civilians who fit the bill. Maybe they have Mafia parents"

"Those are rare cases. But I'm sure there's no link there"

"Nono. Don't be rash in your decision here if you want a suitable leader"

The older man looked devastated and defeated as he looked at the other

"Reborn… I originally wanted to make you choose the next Don from my sons. But since it comes to this, even though you're busy searching for the cure for that curse and have a lot of missions, could I leave it to you to find someone suitable? I could adopt him/her and appoint-"

"Don't be stupid. That's like giving that person the same status as Xanxus. They won't be a direct heir to the throne and the Mafia won't accept that person" he knew he was stating things he himself didn't want to hear after training that stupid student of his

"Then you can select someone with Primo's blood, seeing that he was the only one who could have mingled with the civilians and became one. There should be people fitting the bill"

"And that would be like getting any random civilian with a good moral sense to become a mafia. Nono, Primo died a long time back. Who knows how many progeny he has directly or indirectly. Humans are linked in some way. You're being too emotional" he said thinking that if that stupid Iemitsu was here (and he was actually regretting it and he thought he would never do that) then Tsuna could be chosen and then miracles could happen (granted most of them was because of him)

"I know! But I don't **want** to revive Xanxus and become the next successor!

Hundreds of years of war and bloodshed. The sins that I had to accept. The **sins** of our predecessors which are becoming bigger and bigger. While we became the **biggest Mafia syndicate** because of the massive amount of deaths and **dead bodies hiding in our closets** , we've completely lost our _morals_ , our _virtues_ , our _honor_ and what we were

Reborn…

We were a Vigelante… fighting for peace and justice. That's what Primo wanted us to become

Yet we behead, backstab, betray, stab, burn and crush others

I couldn't do it

I had to freeze my son because of the pain I caused to him. That prideful man who loved his famiglia had to be condemned _because_ he thought of the wellbeing of this Mafia family… not the Vigelante which has almost been erased from our minds"

The man had taken the weight under his head on his arms as he grieved over his decision and despaired even more at Reborn's simple answer

"There's only one option: Unfreeze Xanxus and make him the next Boss"

" _Another era of blood_ "

* * *

Leaving the boss who seemed was at his weakest, he walked out with a new conviction in his mind.

He reached his estate and shuffled through case files and documents, making Leon bring the most important ones. He'd thumbtacked the most important ones and heard through different audio and video recordings for inconsistencies

He looked through photos for important visual clues. The photos were a bit strange seeing that the people there had different postures of power in the CEDEF. It was as if they were all shifted one level up. They were also more serious (but less effective because Iemitsu did his job properly but kept the mood light, so they were less linked to the Vongola and were good at negotiation)

The nature of the CEDEF was more serious… probably because of the CEDEF which was a bit shocking as well as a bit expected

He went on more missions, leaving an ear out to words and whispers and signs to pick up things. They were mostly nervous on the state of the Vongola, making a lot of the conversation with Nono true

But first he had a person he needed to find

As he weaved through a crowd, even more unnoticed because of his baby form, his eyes scanned the back alleys for a person. Honestly… he didn't have to do all this work if the other picked up his phone which he usually would but didn't probably because he was knocked out. Apparently whatever made them leap to a parallel world affected people in different ways (It didn't affect him much because he was Reborn)

He finally saw the one he was looking for (which wasn't long since he's the world's best hitman) and looked at the other's pathetic form

"Tsk tsk. I leave you for 10 years and look how hopeless you've become. You need training I see. Better be prepared"

And dragged the male to his residence

Once he reached, he flung the other to his sofa and got a bucket and splashed it all over the other.

Since no one wants to drown, unconscious or not the other woke up and narrowly avoided being electrocuted. Ignoring the cute 'Tch' of the dangerous baby and the other's rapid heartbeat when he figured what was happening, he said

"Reborn-san…?"

And when he looked around, he collected information that the pleasant memories he lived through weren't dreams and said

"What happened to Tsuna?"

"As loyal as ever I see, Gokudera Hayato"

He looked at himself through a mirror and then at the baby before him. His logic pointed to one conclusion and it wouldn't budge from there no matter how he tried to look at it

"Is this the past?! That's impossible!"

He ran out of the room in search of a newspaper and dropped the paper in shock

" _Impossible..._

We're 10 years in the past...

How is this scientifically possible? I look like how I was 10 years ago. I use the same brand of cigarettes and bombs I used before, but my mental capacity is that of my adult self...

Is this a hallucination? Is it an enemy attack?"

On seeing the hitman enter the room

"Get away, you imposter! How dare you imitate Reborn-san!" and chucked bombs towards the baby who easily kicked it back at him exploding near his head, making him bleed a little (most of the bomb was unconsciously disintegrated by his storm flames leaving very little soot and destruction)

"It seems like your instinctive use of your storm flames is still usable. Hmm, you trained well"

It made the bomber realize that his experience with flames remained. His fighting ability was present too, but his body probably couldn't keep up because of lack of training

He calmed down a bit, still rattled by their appearances

"You still can't accept the situation? Oh well, it can't be helped"

The mini-satan sat on the bomber's shoulder

"Let's go out a bit. Right now, **facts** outweigh the supposed reality"

So with Reborn herding the silver haired Italian around, the other got a taste of what was reality. The buildings, currently hot advertisements and models,cinemas,actors and actresses and how the people he recognized looked like and the fact that the ones he'd encounter in the future weren't present

Looking at the rattled teen, the baby said

"Right now, things might not make sense, but we can always piece things together later. Right now, we have to start damage control" ending seriously he tipped his hat and this time sat on the other's shoulder feeling the breeze until the storm guardian could catch a hold of himself.

Late night, the two returned to the mansion and Gokudera faced the sun arcobaleno and said

"I've already assessed that we've time traveled looking at my form and yours and that we've reached a safe place, seeing that it's your estate. We're not in war and seeing that I'm here in the past in Italy, we've not met Tenth since you brought me here

But you brought me here, so I think-"

Seeing that he'd assessed the situation correctly, the hitman didn't have to explain anything. The bomber **seemed** to have those memories which had everything the world 10 years in the future had

He thought if the other didn't remember things from the future, he just had to deduct those years from what portion the silver haired male had to remember. In the end all he had to say was vital information. The remaining portion could be filled by the boy who specialized in intelligence

"There's a probability that Xanxus would be Don"

Which meant a lot of things. That the CEDEF wasn't Iemitsu or that Tsuna would be considered. It meant that the CEDEF didn't decide on a candidate yet. It meant that the Sawada family wasn't associated with Mafia and left a question whether they existed in the world or not

"Is there a trace of Tenth?"

"Not at the moment. Since, if he's alive or born at this time, he's still a civilian"

"What if the CEDEF appoints him as their representative? The ring won't accept Xanxus"

"It might now that Tsuna may be gone"

"Reborn-san!"

"You can't avoid thinking of that possibility. I've told this before, but I'll tell it again. He's a **civilian** , we're not sure if it'll accept Tsuna. As for the CEDEF, they're not definite about using Tsuna as representative"

"I'm not accepting the position of the right hand of Vongola if Tsuna isn't the Tenth" he said scornfully as he deduced (wrongly) what could be the reason why Reborn told him this explicitly

"Gokudera Hayato. Why do you think I searched for you in the first place?"

On seeing the lost look on the other's face, he sighed and began stating his reasons

"You're the only guardian who would literally die if Tsuna wasn't present, since obviously you've weaved your entire world around him

It's also because you're the right hand, you would have to carry his will in case we can't find Tsuna or more accurately find the Tsuna who belonged in that world"

"Huh?"

"A Tsuna who had not been under my tutelage and had not been through all your adventures. It's also because I don't want you to impose the Tsuna you know on a Tsuna found here

They'd not be the same"

And the bomber bowed down his head under the depressing probability. The hitman turned around and started to leave to plan further

"…Reborn

I'm going to search for Tsuna..."

Before closing the door behind him, the hitman said

"The tickets to Japan are at the living room table"

He looked at the hitman in shock. He couldn't resist but ask

"Are you going to search for that Pineapple?"

And promptly the door shut

When he went to the table, he felt his eyebrows twitch in irritation

There were two tickets on the table which told him only one thing

"Why do I have to search for that stupid cow?!"

And on cue as if Reborn predicted it, there was a trap triggered on loud voices and blew him out of the house through the window pane by an instantly inflating balloon (kinda like an air bag)

It was only the lad's instinct that allowed him to keep a hold on the tickets. Stuck on to his forehead was a memento of Reborn which came attached to the balloon. Written on it-

"You also have to babysit Lambo. It's reasonable for the time and energy in searching for you. You did want to babysit him in your age (*happened in the anime, I think in the daily arc)"

'You just don't want to deal with him!'

"By the way, don't worry about the glass shattering. I told one of the men assigned to my needs to fix it. Babies need a lot of care and attention after all

PS. The glass pane bill is under you , because it was your fault that the glass pane shattered. You shouldn't press against glass too much. People will think you're suicidal"


End file.
